Mate Hunt

Time

Five days passed, and Leah returned to her Grandmother's home, holding bags of food and other things. She volunteered to get groceries to get to know more people and see more of the village. Once she arrived and entered her Grandmother's house, Leah saw Isla sitting by the fireplace, reading a book. She looks up. "Ah, I see you brought the groceries. Thank you for doing that. I told you that I could have gone with you."

Leah walks to the kitchen and puts the bag of groceries on the table. "Don't worry, Grandmother. I don't mind at all. I enjoy it. It gives me more time to travel and know more people."

Isla chuckled as she shook her head. "You are like your father. He hates staying in one place."

"I get that a lot." Leah looks out the window and sees the night skies. "The sky is beautiful when it is dark. There are even stars, Grandmother. Usually, I don't see them back home. Pollution."

"It is a shame. The earth and universe have many gifts which we take for granted. You can go outside and enjoy the view. I will finish the rest."

Leah looks at her Grandmother. "I can't let you cook by yourself. I would feel bad about it!"

The older woman rolled her eyes. "You truly are like your father. Now, I demand you go outside. You did many errands for me. You are here to relax. Now go!" said Isla in a demanding voice,

Leah cringed a bit, but she did what her Grandmother told her. She went outside and walked a bit far from the house to a small hill. A gust of wind went by her, making her long hair flow. "I almost forgot how beautiful this place was. This is better than the city." She sat and lay down on the soft grass, looking at the night sky, the stars, and the full moon. "How beautiful. The moon can bring so many wonders to the planet. I feel that it brings a lot of secrets." Leah closed her eyes, feeling the wind blowing softly.

However, she did not know what was going to transpire.

Meanwhile, outside a cave, many men stood before a waterfall. All are bare. Among them are Romulus and Remus. There were about forty men; excitement and nervousness overwhelmed them.

They were all preparing themselves for the Mate Hunt. Onlookers, consisting of men, women, and children, looked at the participants in the human society. The group of men stood in front of a stage. Then, an older man who looked to be in his seventies stood on top of a huge rock, looking down at the men before him.

All bowed to him and did the same as a sign of respect.

His name is Marcus, and he is one of the many elders in the werewolf world. Elders maintain law and order within the packs when there are dire situations but do not entirely interfere in the duties of werewolves. There was no Alpha or Beta since it was believed that only a small amount of beings should control an entire society. Werewolf leaders were voted to think of the greater good of the Werewolf World. "Werewolves, I bid you all welcome to the Mate Hunt. The elders and I prayed to the moon goddess for your success securing a mate. Be aware that the hunt can be dangerous, for many humans will try to fight and kill you. Be safe and alert; may you bring your mates with you safely. If any of you fight for the same mate, your case will fall upon us. I know you are all eager, and I will not keep you all for long."

All the men began to change in their werewolf forms and howled to the moon. Marcus clapped his hands, and then the ground shook, and a small waterfall opened. On the other side, there was more land.

"Go! Go and find your mates! Go and secure the future of our kind!" announced Marcus.

All the werewolves howled and ran through the forests towards the many small villages nearby.